'An Seolhee,' Daughter of Ahn Cheolsoo, Finds Key to 'Coronavirus Human Penetration'... Listed as First Author of Paper

On June 13, 2018, Ahn Cheol-soo, candidate for Seoul mayor, headed to the 7th polling station in Sanggye 1-dong, set up at the Geukdong Neulpureun Apartment senior center in Nowon-gu, Seoul, on the day of the June 13 local elections, accompanied by his wife, Professor Kim Mi-kyung, and daughter Ahn Seol-hee. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] It has been revealed that Ahn Seol-hee, daughter of Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, was listed as the first author of a recent research paper studying the process of COVID-19 virus penetration into the human body.

According to political circles on the 22nd, Ahn Seol-hee was listed as the first author of a research paper published on the 19th in the scientific journal Nature Chemistry by Professor Rommie Amaro’s team at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Another first author is Dr. Terra Stein.

The paper elucidated the process by which the COVID-19 virus uses its spike protein to bind to human enzymes and penetrate the body at the level of protein molecular structural changes. The main content is that the 'glycan' covering the spike protein acts as a gateway for human cell penetration.

Professor Amaro, who participated as the corresponding author of the paper, said, "This study revealed how the spike protein of the COVID-19 virus actually opens and initiates infection," adding, "This uncovers an important secret of the spike protein."

Co-researcher Professor Jason McLellan of the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) explained, "Without the glycan gateway, the COVID-19 virus loses its infectivity," and "This shows that without the action of the glycan gateway, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the COVID-19 virus spike protein cannot change into a form that infects human cells."

Professor Amaro expressed hope that if drugs can be used to keep the glycan gateway closed, it would effectively block COVID-19 virus infection activity. He also said, "I believe this discovery can be utilized in developing new treatments against COVID-19 virus infection."

Introduction of Seolhee An from the laboratory of Professor Romi Amaro at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
[Photo by 'Amaro Lab' website capture]

Ahn Seol-hee completed her doctoral program at Stanford University in the United States and is currently researching theoretical chemistry at UCSD.

In 2020, she received the Gordon Bell Special Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of supercomputing academia, for her academic demonstration of the 3D shape of COVID-19. The Gordon Bell Special Prize is awarded annually to those who have made academic achievements in the field of computing.

Additionally, in June, she received the American Chemical Society (ACS) Physical Chemistry Division’s "Young Investigator Award" for her paper titled "Improvement of Application Methods for Biomolecular Kinetics and Triazine Polymers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.